Christmas and New Years

Very good week this week! Not much to report on since i talked to you like 5 days ago but it was a solid week! Like i said i ate christmas eve dinner with president and his wife and family and a family from our ward which was awesome! and on christmas after i talked with yall we watched robin hood, the disney one! (The mission president, President Larry Gelwix, allowed the missionaries to watch G or PG rated Disney movies and the movie Forever Strong on Christmas day). Very fun!

We should have a baptism this saturday! commited our investigator named Stephanie to it! She is soo solid! Got teach another guy after playing another game of basketball against him. Unfortunatley we lost but he still listened because he liked our committment! haha 

 

Regarding the process on his Visa: Sent in the FBI fingerprint stuff so you should get the clearance in like a couple weeks so be looking for it and send that off with the address i sent to dad! 

 

Keep praying for our investigators please they need all the help they can get to make the necessary changes to get baptized! Thanks for all your love and support! TELL CALVIN TO EMAIL ME SO I CAN TALK TO HIM! SOMEONE TELL HIM! I'm working my hardest with the time I have here! I love it here and will be here as long as the Lord will allow! Love you all!

 

"Christmas wasn't too bad on the mission"

 

Waking up Christmas morning with Elder Lord

Picture of the beautiful countryside in CA

 

Trying to get something out of a tree at the Mission President's house

The night of Christmas dinner with the Mission Pres and a fellow ward family, apparently something was stuck in a tree and they were trying to hit it out???

Feliz Natal

You can call our cell phone on Wednesday at what looks to be like 11 my time. We have only 40 Minutes no longer! But we will use it no worries! When you call, if I can figure out the skype thing i will set it up on my end and see if i can get it working and then we will just use skype, but if not we can just call!

My parents and Cassidy talking to Dallas on Christmas day

If carley is calling at 11:15, when you call me you will have to tell me what account you want me to connect with and then you can use the other one for carley! that would be cool if we were on at the same time! Still call at 11:00 and if that doesnt work out we can hang up set a time later to talk and you can wait till carley is done and then after just call me back at the new time we set. But still call our cell phone at like 11 and we will move quickly to figure out logistics. Awesome week this week that i will tell you about in the call!

Found some new investigators and have really started gaining the trust of our ward members which is awesome! Like i said though is the call will be 40 minutes but cant go much longer because we need to be exactly obedient! I have been opening all the gifts and they are awesome! I have saved a ton for Christmas but have been opening the 12 days of Chirstmas ones! Love the tape recorder!

Make sure though if we end up skyping that you have solid internet connection because any lost time is still part of the 40 minutes. He (President Gelwix) says that is one of the bad parts of using skype. But we will see how it goes! Cant wait to talk! Love you all!!

We're Playing Basketball! Favorite Missionary Experience

What a week! SO i have officially been here a transfer as of Wednesday so i don't feel so green anymore;) But seriously this has been such an amazing experience! So i promised a long email about the week so here it goes! We have had some great experiences teaching this week! My favorite experience since being out....
ready?

Ok so we were tracting one night in an apartment complex for college students and when we got there we parked next to a basketball court and when we got out I had the feeling I needed to talk to the guys playing ball. I figured it was just me telling myself that, though, so we went on our way and went and talked to some people. During our talking, I kept feeling like we should talk to the guys playing basketball, but I kept letting it go. SO about an hour passed and as we came back to the car they were still playing so I got the message at this point and I walked up and asked if i could give them one of our pass along cards.

Elder Lord, Elder Schoen and President Gelwix

They said they would take one if we beat them in a game of basketball.... You can imagine my excitement... So before we played i compromised. I said that we would play only if they would hear our message after we won. They agreed and needless to say, I made sure we didn't lose. We won 11-0. Haha so afterwards we taught the three of them and we have met with them one more time and one of the three says that he will be baptized when he knows it's true! And I'm telling you he is solid. He came with a typed up list of questions. and he came telling us all about how he wants to research the right way so he used lds.org and mormon.org. He is really awesome!

We are still hoping our investigator "M" will make it to the 28th for baptism. We also have a girl named "S" who is planning on getting baptized but her dad hates the idea of her being a part of the church but she is such a solid investigator! I'm loving every second of being out here! My companion will now be the new DL over our district, so that should be fun. We are gaining the trust of our ward members which is really helpful in keeping the work going! I'm having to take time to fix some of the visa complications which is rather frustrating but everything will work out. I am putting all the home information as the primary info they need so you will be able to work out any further problems hopefully! SO the way the Christmas calling is working this year is you will call our cell phone on Christmas day and we will get to talk for 40 min. I will email you the time to call next week. Should be great! We had a huge Christmas zone conference which was amazing! Loved it!


President Gelwix talked about the nativity and went into depth about Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke 2 and 3. Very spiritual and uplifting. Got the packages from everyone and i am planning on opening most of them on Christmas day! Other than the 12 days of Christmas ones, which I have opened the first two! LOVE THE SOCKS!!! I'm wearing them right now for preparation day!

Dallas' Christmas socks.

And the subway gift card is greatly appreciated! Thank you soooo much for the love you send my way! The church is true and I'm soo grateful for Jesus Christ! He is the reason for this season! I love you all soooo much and look forward to talking to you all more both through email and talking on Christmas!

Elder Schoen!

Dec. 9 Update

SO this week was good not great! Had a lot of lessons fall through which is super frustrating but to our great surprise we still snagged 6 new investigators for the week and all seem pretty solid! We will see how prepared they are! 

Elder Schoen and Brother Larsen in Fresno, CA

As you know i saw the larsens! which was fun! haha. (insert Courtney's note: Mr. Larsen/Brother Larsen is one of my dad's mission companions from the Paris, France mission back 100 years ago, just kidding)

We had a travel trainer with us for a couple days and he was sooooo trunkie. but he was fun! We are getting fed every night!! Haha and there is this steak house here that i have eaten at like 6 times already that is soooo good!  DOGHOUSE GRILL Is what it is called! sooo good! me and elder lord are working hard and starting to gain the trust of the ward which is crucial! Transfers end next week which im sooo pumped for! even though i will be staying most likely;) Not much by way of interesting stuff this week and it is all in my journal so it is hard to remember but the stories are there;) I will try to have better emails for you next week and hopefully some pictures! I want to know about sports!!!!!!!!! keep me updated please!! ;) haha every time i see a game i want to watch but i cant.. so i need you to tell me! Sorry this isnt very long but im doing good staying safe and im loving life! 

We had Elder Porter of the 70 come and give us training on the gospel of Jesus Christ and it was great! Hopefully our solid investigator will keep a commandment so we can baptize him soon! Love you Soooooooo much!

Elder Schoen!

Turkey Week

All is well here in Fresno! Tell everyone I really do appreciate their love and prayers being sent my way! I can really feel the strength coming from all their prayers (D&C 29:6)

6 And, as it is written—Whatsoever ye shall ^aask in ^bfaith, being ^cunited in prayer according to my command, ye shall receive.

'Im just going to answer your (my dad's) questions because nothing really happened this week just a lot of doors slammed in the face and people not interested but man do I love this work!!!!!!!! For my area- it is going really good! we are starting to gain the trust of our ward and people are starting to refer us to their friends which is awesome! The young adults are all great! My companion and I are seriously getting along so great! We are really working hard and although we haven't seen a whole lot of success, we are waiting patiently for the miracles to happen.

We are teaching an investigator right now who is REALLY close to baptism but is struggling keeping a commandment, but he is for sure going to be baptized! Hopefully soon! YSA ward is kinda different (insert Courtney's note: he never attended a young single adult ward before he left, he only attended the family ward) but pretty fun!

We have a meal appointment like every night which is fun! A lot of going out to eat funny enough so to answer your next question, yes i am gaining weight but I'm dieting and working out more now so I can lose it before I go to Brazil! The biggest things I have gotten good at are getting ready superrrrrrrr fast and planning out in -epth! I also have found a new love for Tapatio (hot sauce).. I put it on everything! Our transfers are just 6 weeks but if my visa doesnt come I will most likely be here for two transfers! We have very good district meetings and i learn alot about how to better myself as a missionary! Apparently next week we are having a 70 come for our zone meeting! (insert Courtney's note: "a 70" refers to someone in our church leadership, you can see the image below or read more here: http://www.lds.org/church/leaders). It should be good!

 

 

Im doing really good with my journal! havent missed a day yet! Full pages too! We will see if i can keep it up cause it can be hard sometimes but i will try! Im trying my VERY hardest to keep my language up! i.e. talking in Portuguese to my companion, teaching members in Portuguese while my companion teaches in english (they love it when i do that), and talking with all the RM's (Returned Missionaries) from brazil! As far as my visa stuff, i called president gelwix and talked to him about what to do and he says that he has had to do this before so he knows how to help;) so everything should work out just great! Honestly Missionary Work is the Greatest!!!!! It is soooo much fun talking to everyone! even when people slam doors in your faces you learn to grow every second!! This mission truly is changing me in sooooooo many ways!! :) LOVE YOU ALLLL SOOOO MUCH!!

Nov. 18 letter & Pics

'Hasnt been to cold here usually just like 60's! It's really pleasant! Thank you everyone who has sent mail and stuff!

life of a missionary--so humble and so much different than his totally decked-out sports themed room at home

Elder Lord, Elder Schoen and some happy new members of the YSA ward in Fresno!

 My companion is great he is from Bountiful, Utah and we get along great! Being in a YSA ward definitely is weird but it is really fun! I'm teaching people my own age basically! It really is awesome here! President Gelwix is amazing! Me and my companion will be eating thanksgiving dinner with our ward! Dad is sending my weekly report! Love you!

2ND E-MAIL/MORE FROM DAD: This week was another good one! time really flies here in the field! We are starting to gain the trust of the ward members which should be great cause they have a lot of friends they want to bring into the church! So we'll see if they trust us enough to have us help. We had a baptism yesterday for Bianca which we kinda inherited from the past missionaries but it was great to get to be witnesses for her baptism. She will be confirmed next week. We have three other investigators that all have a baptism date and are progressing really well. And for one of them we are actually having to plan a wedding right before the baptism so they can be married before they are baptized! should be fun! The people in Fresno are a lot like texas people it feels like except way different ... We have gotten the door slammed in our faces a couple times which is really fun! haha seeing people act like we are contagious and we bite... some people will talk through their door so we can't hear what they say.. it really makes me laugh! One of the times I was like "we dont bite!" and they we're like ohhh i know it just dont want you to give me anything which made me laugh;) The work can be challenging at times but it is very rewarding. My companion and I get along really well. We are really working hard! being in a ysa ward is really weird but kinda fun cause we are teaching everyone our own age! The language is getting hard to keep up but i am starting to work with one of the returned missionaries from brazil to keep up with the language! Missionary work really is amazing! I love testifying soooooo much now;) Its all i do! I love you all soo much!!

Ate Mais (Until More) Com Amor ( with Love)

Elder Schoen

First Week in Fresno

 Dear Family!!

(pass this along to everyone!) 

 

On the flight to fresno i was sooooo close to placing a book of mormon but she kindly refused! On our first day here we had a "open your mouth" thing where we all got a trainer and went and talked to everyone we could! Speaking english is soooo nice;) Funny enough me and my trainer that day were really good apparently and we gave out 6 book of Mormons! Haha my trainer was a hmong missionary (he spoke hmong) which was fun!

That night we had dinner with president Gelwix and talked about mssion policies and expectations! President Gelwix is seriously the greatest. ThursdayI got my trainer. Funny enough his name is Elder Lord and he is 6'1 with black hair and likes sports. We are basically identical. We get along really great! He has been out 5 months and funny enough he was in the MTC with Carley but he doesnt know her. President Gelwix said when he put us together it would "be a competition to see who could work harder" which made me laugh cause we are both REALLY hard workers.

Me and Elder Lord are serving in a YSA Ward funny enough. Heritage YSA is the name. It's in North Fresno. We have like 5 baptisms scheduled and 2 investigators we hope to set a date with. We have a baptism this sunday! Her name is Bianca. There are like 5 RM's (Returned Missionaries) who served in Brazil so they are offering to help me with Portuguese! I gave a blessing to a ward member here my first night. It was reallycool awesome because as i started i could tell that i was only standing there.. the spirit was basically doing all the talking. all i did was move my lips. So there are a bunch of mission rules like we have to have a part in our hair, no ipods and only music from member artists! But its alright at least we get to listen to music! Please send cd's with some music by mormon artists like david archuleta or any member like hymns and cool efy stuff. It has been an awesome week thus far and i am taking every second i have here in fresno for everything it is worth! We went to Walmart today and shopped which was funny cause you do all the shopping mom so i was sooo lost about what to buy! I look forward to seeing the work here progress as we work our hardest! Love you Guys talk more next week!

 

Elder Schoen!!

Entering the Field

Dearest family

You will probably get this by the time I have gotten into the field, sooo yeah!!!!

Elder Schoen at the Provo MTC

I am really excited to get into the field! I’ll be honest, I’m kinda nervous but its good nerves. I can’t wait to get to Brazil but I’m going to give Fresno California all I have.  It is going to be weird that first day in the field talking to real people. Haha! but I can’t wait.  Me and a fellow Elder from a neighboring zone who are really good friends are going together so that should be fun.  Being District Leader has been actually really great. I ican feel how much I have grown just in these last two weeks.  The love I have for others has grown as well as my patience! It was such a great opportunity to serve in a leadership position I loved my teachers here at the MTC.  They were so beneficial to me and I honestly couldn’t have picked two better teachers.  I don’t know if they had “infield orientation” when you left the MTC dad but we had it and it was very cool.  It was 8 hours long just sitting in classes but it was still very cool.  Haha! so its was daylight savings today but none of the Elders in my district got the memo so we were dressed and out the door by 6 instead of 7.  Talk about frustrating.  Oh well it was alright cause we just went to class and slept at our desks.  The MTC has been one heck of an experience.,  That first week I never thought I could make it but looking back now and seeing how much I have grown it makes me so proud of myself.  Although I am nowhere near being sufficient in the language or in doctrinal knowledge, I have been blessed to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost when we  have taught lessons.  It is so comforting knowing I am never alone.  I have been continually blessed whenever I am stressed or homesick with comfort and peace because of prayer,  Like I said, the most sincere prayers I have ever shared have been here at the MTC.  I feel as though I am almost annoying Heavenly Father because of how much I talk to him. JKJKJ But this experience will be difficult, no doubt about it, but I have learned to rely on Heavenly  Father, the Spirit and most importantly, the Savior and his atonement.  Coming into the MTC I can honestly say I never had a testimony of the fullness of the atonement.   I knew Christ died for us so that we could have the opportunity to live again with God but I never knew how important the atonement is in comforting and strengthening us.  I know now that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we truly are never alone.  What a great blessing that is to know.  Funny enough our mission conference today was all about Christ and his atonement. 

Reassignments for all the Sao Paulo North missionaries

So I’ve been here now for 6 weeks and today it snowed for the first time.  It was great to see.

Elder Hall and Elder Schoen, Elder Hall is a fellow "Brazilian" missionary that has been reassigned to Fresno.

As far as Christmas this year, just send me a tie and some uplifting quotes and some pictures.  I need the kind in a book so that they are not lose.  One thing that would be plenty sufficient is just praying for my success in the field with the people, with my companion, and with the language.  I’m going to need all the blessings I can get,  I’m going to be the last one here from my District. We had fast and testimony meeting today it was so nice because fasting on a mission is so special.  I bore my testimony first in English and then in Portuguese.  It was awesome.  I can’t wait for Brazil.  Even if I cant speak the language, I want to teach those people down there! I am very excited to meet my new mission president, President Gelwix.  I hear he treats his missionaries like his rugby team.  he gets them all pumped up and sends them out.  It is going to be so weird to talk to real people this week.  I am so pumped to get out there in Fresno. I hope you guys are realizing the blessings in our lives cause I sure am!!! I love you!!! I can’t wait to tell you all about California.

Love y’all!

Elder Schoen

He's on Fire!

OHHHHHHH man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fresno is amazing! Me and a temporary trainer went out and proselyted and placed like 4 Book of Mormons! Plus my Portuguese helped me speak to some people in Spanish! It is sooo awesome! I went out with a Hmong speaker so it was soooo much fun!! President Gelwix is probably the coolest mission president in the world! I love ALL THE MISSIONARIES HERE! This is just an email to say I made it safe and I will email you in more depth on Monday! This place is awesome!!! Pass this along to everyone! Great talking to you this morning!! Love you!!

Fres-NO Way!

REASSIGNMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!! FRESNO CALIFORNIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LEAVE ON WEDNESDAY AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING!!! my flight will leave at 8:20 our time and i have a layover in Pheonix! i will get to fresno at 11:41!!! I will call in the morning on Wednesday the 6th!! I will email in greater length tomorrow!!!

 

I have been giddy the past 6 weeks about where i would be serving and know that i know it is Cali i could not be more thrilled!! What a treat!!

Halloween here was just another day unfortunately soo no celebration! me and my companion switched tags though ;)

My mission president in the fresno mission is the coach of the rugby team, the guy from forever strong! Larry Gelwix! It is going to be sooo sweet!! Nope, I won't be speaking portuguese, it looks like just english, spanish and hmong in that mission, crazy enough!!

Oct. 25 Letter

Here are some pics my dad e-mailed me that Dallas sent him, then I'll launch into his most recent letter:

He pretended to take a break, since it doesn't actually happen at the MTC

Dallas found an old friend (Chase) at the MTC

Dallas' companion

So our room is the popular spot! Every night new people come in to just hang out! Relocations come in a week!! It is going to be soooo much fun!!! All our good friends here got theirs yesterday and there were a bunch of Californias, Utahs, New Yorks, and you guessed it...Texas!! It is going to be awesome!

(Courtney's note: Missionaries who were originally called to Sao Paulo, Brazil, are being relocated/assigned a temporary different mission to start in because their visa paperwork apparently hasn't gone through/been accepted...something along those lines)

So I'm the new District leader which is fun because i will get to get the relocations for everyone;) I will email with my favorite scripture later in the day! Im going to email mom and dad some stories and ask them to forward them! 

One cool thing lately is we have started teaching each other in companionships and we are teaching two sisters and our first two lessons have gone pretty good!! Cant wait to get into the field!! One more week! I will get to email everyone the night i get my relocation! So stay tuned!! Love you!!

Elder Schoen!!

Later on that day...

So my favorite scripture this week is ether 12: 4!! Talks all about hope!! great for when you are troubled which can happen a lot, here but there is always hope!!


Ether 12:4

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which ^chope cometh of ^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God. 

The lessons this week have been preparation is key in all aspects!! I only feel good about a day when I have prepared spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally for what will take place! !i look forward to telling you where i will get relocated!! Hopefully this week flies by!! Which i am sure it will;)


Mormon Messages are amazing as well! They are soooooo uplifting and inspirational!! I will write you again as soon as i find out where i am going for my relocation!! I Pray for you and cam and Lady:) every day!! Love you guys soo much and keep me up to date on whats happening in your lives!!!

Com Amor,

Elder Schoen

Oct. 18 Letter

First thing in the morning...
 
This week FLEEEEEWWWWW by soo fast it feels like!! I think it is because i am starting to lose myself in the work! at first i will be honest and say i wasn't loving the MTC, but now that i know the importance of the work i have come to appreciate the time i have here and am valuing every second! The people here are awesome!! I have made soooooo many lasting friends here! The spirit is indeed our comforter when we need it! There have definitely been times of stress and frustration but without fail as soon as i offer a prayer i am overwhelmed with a sense of love and appreciation for all i have. I love all you guys soooo much! the experience here is priceless! I will get on later today and email in more depth as for my week! Love You!!

Elder Schoen!

PS Love the Price is Right!!!!!!!!! (Courtney's note: I sent him pictures/screen shots of me and Mom and the Price is Right, he of course hasn't seen it yet)

Later on that day...

We have the opportunity to teach basically everyday here which is sooo nice! and on pdays we get to do TRC which is where you teach members who come in and speak the language and it is basically just a home teaching visit! it is very cool! 

And my favorite scripture this week is Moroni 7:48. It talks all about prayer! That chapter is the bom(b) (get it Book of Mormon) haha.... It is all about charity which i love!! 

 

Moroni 7:48

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen. 

 

 

Week of Halloween

So this week has been a good one for the most part! Temple was awesome! As usual. Got to help for like thirty minutes in the laundry room with all the temple workers. Haha funny story though. So I have been shaving everyday for the stay here and one morning i forgot and I realized as soon as I got into class. So as soon as class was over I was going to run back to residence and shave, but of course the head Portuguese teacher like makes a surprise visit and asks about my short growth and I tried to respond in Portuguese by saying "sorry i forgot" (Eu esquedo) but instead i said "Eu escholo" which is "I chose to" haha my teacher just busted out laughing and i immediately corrected myself;) Portuguese at its finest!

I dont know if you can tell but I AM SOOOOOOO EXCITED TO GET MY RELOCATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone in our zone here got theirs and there were a ton of California, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah and--you guessed it--Dallas and Fort Worth Texas!!!! Wouldnt that be funny i get assigned back to TX! Rumor has it they don't put a whole lot of effort into relocations so it is possible!! haha mom would die!;) Me and Elder Warren have become really close considering the rest of my district is kinda crazy! I will email you guys thursday night and let you know my relocation!! so stay tuned!! Any cool things happening in the actual real news?!

I would love this last week a good supply of dear elders considering i wont get to hear from you guys only once a week when i get into the field!! Me and Warren pray we get relocated together! IT would be sweet! We are teaching four investigators now which is kinda fun!! So got any cool MTC stories you can remember that would make me laugh? I have been here a month!! Crazy 1/24 of the way done!!! I'm going to get to call you when i reach the airport prior to me leaving for my relocation so stay tuned for when i will be at the airport i will let you know!!

This week will probably fly by!! Language is still coming slowly but surely which can be frustrating but I"m learning to relax and just let what comes come! I have to keep telling myself that I have been learning for a month and I'm basically already conversational!! Cant wait to get to Brazil though but I am really looking forward to a relocation so i can share the gospel in my native tongue! Tell mom to send me a list of just questions so i can send her a letter just for her answering anything and everything she wants to know!

It is really hard to remember questions so tell her to send me a letter with questions so i can write her a letter back to answer them all! Tell mom I love her! Also tell sister Passantino thanks for sending me a package! Also i really want the Weavers address! I want to send Calvin, Keith, Bryce and Aunt Laura some stuff! Send it in a Dear Elder so i can get it mailed of soon! I Love you guys soooooo much! Like i said me and Carley email every week and are keeping up with each other!! Please get a good supply of dear elders this week considering it is my last week and i wont get to hear from you guys but only once a week on pdays in the field!! I have saved all the dear elders and letters so i can read them when i get the chance so i can imagine we are speaking;) I love you all soooooo much!!! Please tell mom to dear elder me with a list of questions so i can answer her directly!!!!! Love you and talk to you when i get my relocation!!! Stay tuned!!

Oct. 18 Letter

(In the e-mail correspondence before this, Dad told Dallas as a bit of "fatherly advice" he might want to quit sticking his tongue out so he won't regret these pictures in 20 or 30 years)

Haha i like sticking my tongue out!!! haha i will think about changing it! Im sure you loved two weeks off (govt shutdown)!! I will most likely be leaving on  NOV 04, 05, 06 depending on when my relocation happens so you guys need to be around so i can call in and talk with you guys! Alot of the relocations have people leaving at like 3 a.m. so be expecting a call like crazy early!! I know how to shine shoes!!!!! and yes i am a very quick learner! ive picked up on quite a few things already!! Ive been going through three white shirts and three slacks so i have some for when i get into the field.

It is soooooo cold here!! Cant wait for the North face plus if i get relocated somewhere cold im going to die.... How is Cassidy doing in Everything?? No news on visa! Im 99% sure i will be relocated so expect that! Relocations come on halloween so should be fun!! Can i get addressess for the weavers, grandma kent, krista and cam and courtney so i can send hand written cards! they have all sent me stuff! Gym time is crazy fun cause volleyball is soo intense but light-hearted cause its the MTC;)

Hows the sports world going? Me and my companion are getting along just fine! we like each other and enjoy each other so no worries there! Haha temple was great and funny enough as i am walking back down to campus i pass Kaitlyn Frandsen (a girl from my parent's home ward, I assume she's now living in Provo, going to BYU?), soooo yeah kinda awkward... haha i was just like hey..... you can imagine me saying it to her.

I got to see CJ the day before he headed out! it was such a blessing and miracle!! Purely luck us running into each other! I love my teachers here and all the people here are awesome!! I love you guys sooooo much! Please respond via dear elder so i can read your responses faster! cause i only get an hour on Pdays to email! So have an email waiting for me in my email but respond while im still here using Dear elder! and tell cassidy i want to hear from her!! and Tell mom i love her soooooooooo Much! there was a senior couple who i passed, the sister said 'I LOVE YOUR SHIRT!!!" HAHA it was the mamas boys one! The weeks are really starting to fly now. The sleep is starting to catch up with me i am ALWAYS TIRED!!  Haha but i survive!! Again I love you guys and cant wait to hear from you all!!!!!

Q & A for a Missionary in the MTC

- How was watching conference this weekend? Tell us about the experience of being in the Missionary Training Center and how you watch it. 

Conference was AWEEEESSOMMEEE!  Haha first time i have stayed awake the entire time and boy am i glad i did! It was soo special being surrounded by all the missionaries! Awesome thing was that CJ came up from west campus to watch it so i sat next to him saturday and sunday and got to catch up! Haha but yes it would have been nice to watch it in my pjs but i like wearing the suit so its all good!

- Are y'all teaching any "fake" investigators? Carley used to tell us about her experience teaching fake investigators (investigators are people who "investigate" or learn about our religion). I want to hear if you are doing the same thing and how it is going. 

Yeah we teach practically every day! Our first investigator, Amadeu took 4 lessons and we asked him to be baptized and he accepted! haha, fake but it was still cool!

- Please send pictures! I'm dying to see you. :)

I got the family's package and wanted to say thank you for the pictures! i was missing seeing you guys and that brought so much comfort!

I bought the mamas boy shirt! I dont know if mom remembers but i had that same shirt when i was young and she loved it so i  thought i would buy it again;)

- What has been the best lesson you have learned since being in the Missionary Training Center?

The best lesson i have learned here is HUMILITY!!!!! No one can think they can just walk into the mission field knowing everything! I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the gospel but i have been trully humbled here haha! But it is a great humbling experience!

- How are you and your companion getting along?

My companion is catching onto the language of Portuguese really quickly, so it makes the companionship hard. As the weeks pass and he improves a lot faster because he speaks Spanish, he tries to dominate the lessons so i have to stop him sometimes. but Im dealing with it as best i can and we are doing just fine.

- How is the language coming?

The language is coming along verrrrryyyy slowly but surely! Im improving with each day! At first i just was getting soooo down on myself because i couldnt say what i wanted to say but as i improve the spirit comes stronger!  Language is still kicking my butt but i have realized ive been expecting to much of myself so i just started trying to relax and let what comes comes! It has been coming easier since i stopped get down on myself!

- How do you like your district? 

Me and another elder in my district are really close though! we are really growing as friends and brothers in the priesthood! My district is pretty cool! we have 6 sisters and only 4 elders so it is rather weird to see other districts with all elders. Im used to having more girls than guys around considering our family so im used to it:)

The short e-mail to my dad: 

Thank you for the suit and shoes as well! my suit pants ripped and my black shes broke so what you sent was perfect! Plus the treats!!!!! MOM thank you soooo much! I ate a bag of cheetos and a cookie right when i got them! Haha you can sleep in my room if you want;) Keep it warm for me! Next package i would love some q tips and my north face jacket cuz it is getting freezing! Got a hair cut today finally and mom you are wayyyyyy better;)  i'm heading to the temple right now! 

Con amor (with love)

Elder Schoen!

Oct. 4 Letter

So I forgot to say the first day here i leaned down to pick something up and my pants ripped right down the Seam!!! Also the back of my shoe was stepped on and now the sole is coming of so if you guys ever want to send me a care package that would be great! Also please send me some pictures of you guys! i miss you guys like crazy and would love to be able to look at you! So, Dad, you are jobless (*govt shutdown)??!! HAHA going to be golfing for the next couple of weeks!! 297 yds?! WOW! must of been some wind!!! haha mom should get great! We'll have a blast playing when i get back!

Thank you by the way for the words of encouragement! Im really needing it as often as possible cause this language is kicking my butt.. but i have been telling myself to just forget myself and relax because i wont be fluent when i leave! I can say a prayer easy and also bear my testimony easy right now. It is just the gospel vocabulary and verbs in the lessons that throw me off! Plus i cant understand anything anyone says! so thats hard! I am really looking forward to a relocation because i really want to be able to give lessons in english for a while to build my confidence back up! My companion is awesome! I still need to figure out how to get pictures on here so it may be a little while before you see some but i have a bunch! We are going to the temple here in a couple hours which is going to be so nice! we get to work out basically every day here! funny enough i played basketball the first day but i actually enjoy volleyball more!! haha we'll see if it holds! I reallly look forward to hearing from you guys everyday (all family members signed up for different days to send dear elders)! that will be soo comforting! Everyone loves my Ether 12:27 Band! My branch presidency is pretty cool to! I will also write a letter to you so itll get there half way through the week so you can here from me twice a week! please every so often send some hand written notes because those are really meaningful to me! I got one from grandma which was sweet tell her i said thank you! The cowboys are going to get blown out this year! GO Broncos!! haha. Too bad about the rangers there is always next year! I always enjoy hearing from you (talking to my Dad here)! you are my best friend and anything and everything you say to me i will keep and cherish! so please whenever you get opportunities please write! 

 

And tell mom i Love her soooooooo Much! She cant even imagine how much i miss her and everything she did for me! I had to do laundry this morning and i had to ask for so much help! but I should get going! I know im where i should be and the spirit i feel is so powerful and comforting when i am stressed or depressed! I know God loves me and that Jesus Christ is my savior! I love you all! i have gotten all your dear elders and keep them coming! I love you so much and look forward to hearing about the home front! I will mail you a letter on Saturday so it gets there by Monday or Tuesday! Hear from you soon!

Elder Schoen!

Dallas' first letter home (with more !!!! than should be legal in a letter)

Dallas wrote home this week! No e-mail, just a hand-written letter, which is an awesome thing from this tech-savvy young man. I don't think I've ever seen him hand-write anything!

It read like this:

Dear Dad, Mom and Cassidy,

Wow! What a day! As hard as it was leaving this morning what an amazing experience this has started out as! So the flight to Provo was funny cause the guy I talked to turned out to be a principal at a ALL Catholic school, so he wasn't really interest in what I had to say, but he was nice nonetheless.

Checking in (to the MTC) was so funny! So no joke, I had taken like 4 steps away from the car to head to check in and BOOM!! Standing no joke like 2 yds away from me is CJ!! What a crazy blessing! This first day was probably the most spiritual day in my entire life! No joke, I am spiritually exhausted!

But amazing lessons today on what our purpose is as a missionary! I'll be honest most of the day I was kinda REALLY feeling homesick, but after a 3-hour missionary workshop I have really grown up. I mean, I still miss you guys like crazy, but I'm really growing into myself. BUT SERIOUSLY, I HAVE SOOO MUCH LEARNING TO DO! But I'm very excited! Oh, and my companion is AWESOME! His name is Elder Z. and he's from Miami. He speaks fluent Spanish, so he's going to help me soooo much! He's very cool, but also very fun! We are really going to get along! There are 4 elders and 6 sisters in our district. I am really looking forward to these 6 weeks and my p-day (preparation day) is on Friday from what I hear. So I look forward to writing you!

Love you,
Elder Schoen

Here are some pictures from Dallas' flight and his last day with my parents at home (they went golfing).

The Bro's Farewell

Thanks to everyone who came to Dallas' farewell! He so appreciated it, as did my whole family! We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family members. What would life be without y'all?

 

Special thanks to our sweet friend (and my second mom) Tami Coon for bringing these Brazilian sodas! They were a hit!